Motorsport: Motor racing-Singapore sprint delayed due to heavy rain

Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in action during the sprint race on a wet Marina Bay Street Circuit. (Reuters pic) SINGAPORE: The start of the Singapore Grand Prix sprint race on Saturday was delayed by half an hour due to heavy rain at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

A shower minutes before the scheduled 5 pm (0900 GMT) start sent fans and officials rushing for cover while standing water around turns 2 and 3 forced the FIA to put back the start after the medical car had assessed track conditions.

Once the standing water was cleared, the FIA said drivers would do two formation laps behind the safety car as teams quickly swapped out the slick tyres for intermediates.

"The spray is very bad," McLaren's Oscar Piastri said on the team radio as the drivers did two formation laps before a standing start for the final sprint race of the season.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen took pole position for the sprint ahead of Mercedes driver George Russell and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Last weekend, the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia descended into chaos as heavy rain at the Sepang circuit triggered multiple delays and a suspended start procedure that left drivers scrambling in treacherous conditions.